IAF strip ownership restored to MoD
Amidst the ongoing war-mongering, the land ownership of a historic air strip, also known as the advanced landing ground (ALG), of the Indian Air Force (IAF), measuring around 15 acres and situated in Fattuwala village, was restored to the Ministry of Defence following an inquiry conducted by the District Administration here.
The strip had been used during the World Wars and also in Indo-Pakistan wars.
Earlier, the chunk of land, measuring 118 kanals and 16 marlas, was allegedly sold off to private persons reportedly in connivance with revenue officials, following which the Office Commandant of the Air Force Station Halwara, through Station Headquarters Ferozepur, had sent a complaint, vide letter number 1442/ 35/CC/Q Dated April 16, 2021, to the then DC Ferozepur to conduct an inquiry into the matter. However, it took almost five years to undo the “ blunders”, including the fraudulent sale of the land and its erroneous entry in the revenue records.
Following a subsequent petition over inordinate delay in the inquiry, the Punjab and Haryana High Court had also directed the Deputy Commissioner (DC) Ferozepur on December 21, 2023, to complete the inquiry in six months.
Later, the DC Ferozepur submitted a three-page report, which stated that the land was in the same condition as per the revenue records of 1958-59 and its possession was still with the Army. However, not satisfied with the report, Nishan Singh, later filed another petition in the High Court, alleging that several facts had been concealed in the report submitted to the state government, further saying that the mutation of this ALG land was executed in the favour of private persons in 2001 in connivance with revenue officials.
As per the information gathered by The Tribune, the land was reportedly part of 982 acres earlier acquired by the British Government in 1939 for the use of Royal Air Force during World War II. Even the IAF used this air strip during 1962, 1965 and 1971 wars for emergency landings and defence purposes. Later, this ALG land came under “Watch and Ward” of the Local Military Authorities (LMA), but the administrative control vested with the IAF’s Halwara Air Force Station.
Thereafter, upset over the delay, the Administrative Commandant, Station Headquarters, Ferozepur, moved another application to Governor Punjab on February 2, 2024, demanding a CBI inquiry into the matter while accusing the district administration of failing to address the issue. Later, the Governor wrote to CM Punjab through DO Letter dated February 29, 2024, to look into the allegations levelled by the Army.
Last week, in another petition, filed by Nishan Singh, the Punjab and Haryana High Court impleaded the Chief Director, Vigilance Bureau, as a respondent in the case, asking him to personally verify the veracity of the allegations and gave four weeks to conclude his inquiry.
Deepshikha Sharma, DC, said her office had already informed the Army authorities, vide her letter No. 131/SK/EC. dated 30/04/2025. that the entire area had been transferred to the Ministry of Defence through mutation No. 1002 dated February 9, 2024. She said another letter was sent to SSP Ferozepur on February 26, 2024, seeking action against the accused, for which another reminder was sent on December 9, 2024, to register FIR in the case.
The DC said they had now received a letter from the Administrative Commandant, dated May 1, 2025, acknowledging that the ownership had been restored to them, and the issue of the fraudulent sale of the land had been addressed.
Punjab